Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

[beatle]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

Birdy, I am so appreciative of what you have shared with us.

I am (was) one of those skinny alcoholic bitches, and I can tell you how we (or at least I) did it: No food. Simple as that. No, not an eating disorder per se. Just no desire for anything but alcohol.

I tried so hard to eat. I was convinced that if I could increase my appetite for food, I could decrease my appetite for alcohol.

Obviously, it was the other way round.

[beatle]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

btw, I have gained 5 kg since I started bac. None of my clothes fit anymore. Seems like an ok trade to me.

[beatle]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

Virgil;837738 wrote: beatle,
I'm intrigued by your comment "that brains that are more depleted (I almost wrote 'deleted'), for whatever reason, need more bac before they hit the switch than those brains that are, for whatever reason, less in need". Would you care to elaborate on what you mean by 'depleted' in this context? Depleted of what?

V.

Depleted of what? I don't know what. (I should be more careful about what I write).

I'm just extrapolating from everything I've read, especially from Ameisen, that the Baclofen replaces something that is naturally occurring in our bodies and deficient in many alcoholics, and therefore baclofen is like a supplement.

But anyway, this is how I see it:

Maybe this "what" was lower than normal, and than needed, in us alcoholics ever since we were born. And maybe drinking to try to deal with the lack or dearth of this "what" caused this "what" to be further depleted.

Therefore, the more we drink, the more this "what" becomes depleted. And when we try to restore this "what" to our brains, it takes more "what" if you have been drinking for longer and harder than other alcoholics.

Sorry, I didn't answer your question about what the "what" is in this post. I think it's out there, probably in one of Lo0p's posts.

I think I knew what the "what" was at some point, but the lack of the "what" caused me to forget .

[hopefulspirit]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

I just read this entire thread with great interest. I'm titrating up to 90 mgs today but so far have not been able to lower cravings. Anyway, I'm not giving up. Virgil, what has been your experience? Where are you with the regime? I was hopeful (since it was you that initiated this thread) that by the time I reached page 10, you would have reached your switch.

Anyway, thanks for sharing everyone.

HS

[Virgil]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

hopefulspirit;839170 wrote: I just read this entire thread with great interest. I'm titrating up to 90 mgs today but so far have not been able to lower cravings. Anyway, I'm not giving up. Virgil, what has been your experience? Where are you with the regime? I was hopeful (since it was you that initiated this thread) that by the time I reached page 10, you would have reached your switch.

Anyway, thanks for sharing everyone.

HS

Hi HS,

Thanks for your reply and I'm pleased that you find the thread interesting.

As far as I'm concerned, I previously got my baclofen dosage up to 140 mg per day and my anxiety seemed to be steadily increasing as the dosage increased. So, I decided to slowly reduce my daily dosage to 80 mg and I stayed at this dose for at least a week but my anxiety didn't reduce. I am therefore now increasing my dosage very slowly and carefully monitoring my anxiety level and any other side-effects. Based on previous experience, I know that I will need to get to at least 140 mg per day but I suspect (based on my weight) a lot higher. Only time will tell.

V.

P.S. I have two anxiety disorders - obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

[PhoenixRising]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

I am female, 150 lbs (68kg) and currently am at 120mg and have not hit my switch, but I am drinking about 25% less. I have been drinking for about 30 years, I can't think of the last time I have gone a week without alcohol, sadly. I currently drink about 4-5 days a week, usually a bottle of wine and a beer or two per session, until I pass out.

I had gotten up to 180mg before without hitting my switch and titrated down due to side effects. This is my second try. I am determined to make it this time. I would like to moderate but I don't know if that is possible for me.

I am currently dosing 40-40-40 at 6am, 11am and 4pm. I may add an evening dose (4th dose) next time I titrate up. This time around I am going more than 3 days at a given dose before adding the next 10mg. I am taking Pacifen but have recently ordered 25mg tabs of Lioresal. We'll see how that goes... Wish me luck!

[CoventGarden]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

Hello
Interesting thread - many thanks for sharing everyone.

My wife is a serial relapser who has tried various rehabs without success

She used Antabuse for several years with some success - but eventually came off it with disastrous results. She recently started on Baclofen - overseen by a Doc who specialises in Alcohol problems. The maximum he is able/willing to prescribe is 100Mg/Day so we may have a problem soon. She started on 30Mg 6 weeks ago and is now on 60Mg - 70 Mg per day.

Her drinking is greatly reduced but not eliminated - and she is struggling a bit just now.

That brings me to a thought on this thread which was also raised by our Doc ....... what effect does continued alcohol use have on the required Baclofen dosage. Our Doc pointed out that Dr A continued to drink heavily throughout his titrating up on Baclofen - and he reckons that may effect the "switch" dosage.

Just a thought but worth bearing in mind as our Doc reckons my wife will need a smaller dosage as she has reduced her alcohol intake so much.

I don't think we are out of the woods but isn't it nice to have hope

[birdy02]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

Hi CoventGarden.

I reached my Baclofen "switch" about 2 weeks ago and the results are truly amazing - no cravings and no more interest in drinking. I am still amazed by it every day. My switch was high - at 270mg and I drank pretty much the whole way up. It was about 25% less overall than before I took Baclofen but I was still drinking.

During my journey, I became concerned about drinking at the same time so I did a little more research about it. It was unclear to me from reading Dr Ameisen's book whether or not he was drinking when he hit the switch. It is my understanding that he was not and if he was I would like somebody to show me where it says he was because I do not want to spread false data.

I think the misconception whether or not he was drinking comes from the fact that he was clearly drinking during his first run up to 180mg at which time he became concerned about the high dose and then he backed down. On his second run up the book is not clear at all about whether or not he was drinking, so I went to his case report. There it clearly says under the section called PATIENT AND METHODS, "On January 9, 2004, day 1 of post-relapse abstinence, I started oral baclofen monotherapy...". Under the section called RESULTS he says, "I have not had a drink since January 9, 2004".

So, unless I am missing something, he did this while abstinent. I did not but I ended up at pretty much the same amount of baclofen/body weight. My switch was at 3.7mg/Kg. I have a long history of drinking and have never been a controlled drinker in my life so I am not surprised mine was high. I don't know what difference, if any, it made by drinking while I was going up, but if I waited until I quit drinking I don't know when, if ever, I would be where I am now. In hind sight I wouldn't change a thing since I am now alcohol free.

I am so excited to hear your wife is starting to have success at such a low dose and I hope she does not need to go above 100mg but I hope you won't be too upset if she needs to. The switch is very real and is very obvious. She will know when she hits it. It is more than just the ability to decline alcohol - instead it is a true indifference. It is effortless to choose not to drink.

Don't give up hope! I started to several times but I finally made it after 5 months. If you are interested, my story is on this thread,

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...0mg-41806.html

It is so great that you are helping her through this!

[CoventGarden]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

birdy02

Many thanks for sharing your experience - and for clarifying the issue on Dr A drinking (or rather not)

I hope we find the same success you have

Kind regards

CG

[Virgil]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

Hi Folks,

Well, we got figures from 16 MWO members - :thanks:. It's difficult to draw too many meaningful conclusions from this small sample.

So, please forgive me in advance if I bump this thread every two weeks (or thereabouts) to ensure that others may add to it as they reach the 'switch'.

V.

[WitsEnd]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

Just wondering ...
Long, long ago I hit the switch at 225 mg (21st December: a happy day spent, strangely, on hellish Megabus trip from London to Scotland). Later, I began titrating down and I am at 150 mg now. But now I find myself stuck here: I'm worried that, if I titrate down too far (say down to 80 mg, the figure mooted as the maintenance dose) I'll experience cravings again and I need to know whether if you find yourself in that situation you need to begin again the long weary climb back up to your 'switch' dose or whether you only need to top up by, say, 25 mg to return to this brilliant indifference. Does anyone know?

[Henrietta]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

Sorry Virgil!

I don't know how it happened, but I somehow missed giving you my stats:

Switch at 130 mg

Weight: 110 lbs/ 50 k

Sex: Female

[Chi]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

What an awesome thread!

Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and progress. I just started today so I have nothing to report yet.. only 10 mg total so far. I will post as time goes on.

[houtx]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

Hi all & especially you, Virgil! Long time no talk to...

I am at 80 mgs and doing ok. Get sleepy and feel woozy alot, but am managing. I just ordered my next supply and it will be 3 wks before it gets here. All the talk about the delays scare me. Thinking I will go to my NAL Dr. and tell him about this & try to get a Rx thru him...

I am so hoping the miracle happens before I have to take huge doses. All these pills...are hard to conceal for one thing...But I absolutely LOVE the success stories from everyone and so very encouraged! Will keep on -

XO

[corkit]

Baclofen Dosage 'Poll'

Hi houtx, I'm up to 110mg and should be up a lot higher by now but was stock at 90mg for awhile until my surgery was done. Here's what I do to keep the sleepies and woozies in check, I take 30mg in the morning, 40mg once I get home from work late afternoon and 40mg at bedtime, this way my bigger doses are taken once I'm safe at home. I'm going up to 130mg come Monday and I'll do it the same way I'm taking 110mg but taking 50mg instead of the 40mg afternoon and evening.

Yes, I'm also hoping it happens soon. Good luck to all of us pioneers!